1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to construction and excavation equipment and hardware, and more specifically to an improved grading attachment for releasable attachment to an excavation or other heavy equipment bucket.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heavy equipment operators often need to change out the buckets on their excavation equipment in order to perform different tasks. For example, a standard bucket works well for trenching, digging, and similar activities, but is inappropriate for grading, smoothing or other earthmoving activities. When it is necessary to perform both of these types of tasks on the same job, most operators have to completely shut down the excavation equipment, remove the bucket, and replace it with a separate grading blade (or vice versa). This is a laborious and time-consuming task, and also requires the presence of both a bucket and blade at the job site, as well as the tools and manpower to accommodate the switch.
Accordingly, some devices have been designed in an attempt to simplify this operation. For example, Yunker et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,208,815 discloses a straight edge for an earthmoving bucket with pockets on a plate to engage the bucket teeth. The plate extends back to overlap the bottom of the bucket, and the straight edge is held firm by bolts through the plate and bucket. The straight edge is no wider than the bucket so that it can function as a digging edge. Also, George U.S. Pat. No. 3,942,271 teaches a housing having a V-shaped cross-section adapted to be positioned over the teeth of a backhoe bucket, and secured there by lugs and a retaining bar. In addition, Jarvis U.S. Pat. No. 4,360,980 discloses an adaptor for connection with a backhoe bucket, including a blade member having an inclined plate forming a wedge into which the teeth of the bucket may be inserted, and is secured to the bucket with a ratchet, turnbuckle and clamp arrangement.
However, these and other known devices are all still relatively awkward and time-consuming to install. Furthermore, none of these known devices permit selective loose attachment of the blade when desired, enabling the blade to roll about the longitudinal axis of the equipment.